Chinese leader meets Inouye at Bush luncheon

Associated Press

Sen. Daniel Inouye was among the guests at a White House luncheon President Bush held yesterday for Chinese President Hu Jintao.

The senior senator from Hawaii, who plans another trip to China later this year, said in a news release issued by his Washington office that he and several other members of Congress also met with Hu at Blair House, the government's guest quarters, where he is staying.

Inouye said he attended the luncheon with Sen. Ted Stevens, R-Alaska.

"Sen. Stevens and I are leaders of the Senate's U.S.-China Inter-Parliamentary Exchange Group, and in January 2004 in Honolulu we signed a memorandum of understanding with our counterparts from China's National People's Congress to establish the exchange mechanisms," Inouye said.

"The exchanges are crucial to promoting a deeper and firsthand understanding of each nation's political process, culture and perspective on issues of mutual concern," he said.

The senator's office said Inouye is scheduled to make his fourth visit to China when the Senate's exchange group visits in August.

He was one of the Senate leaders who participated in the group's first visit to China in 2004.

"I have long felt that stability and peace in the Asia-Pacific region are dependent on the good and positive working relations between China, Japan and the United States," Inouye said.

"The issues that were discussed by President Bush and President Hu are important, and the resolution of those matters will benefit China, the United States and the entire Asia-Pacific region," he said.